The Heart of Fire (96 page)
You peruse the objects: a feathered spear with a bronze head, a cloak of coarse black hair and a collection of dried, crusty parchment bound in crocodile skin. You may purchase any of the
following for 300 gold crowns:
Wangimbo | Chibacha | Abracabamba |
(main hand: spear) | (cloak) | (main hand: spell book) |
+2 speed +2 brawn | +1 speed +2 health | +2 speed +2 magic |
Ability: | Ability: | Ability: |
(requirement: warrior) | | (requirement: mage) |
When you have made your decision, you may ask to see Yootha’s specials (turn to
593
), ask about the jungle (turn to
520
) or
continue your journey (turn to
571
).
613
There are five statues supporting the domed ceiling of the pagoda, each depicting a different animal deity. Their gaze is directed towards the stone font set into the centre of
the floor. You approach it cautiously, sensing the powerful magics radiating from the runes around its edge. The top of the font is cast from a plate of bronze, with a large circular hole in its
middle. You lean over, peering down into the cavity – drawing back instantly when you feel an icy cold wind brush against your face. If you have the
glaive of souls
equipped, turn to
706
. Otherwise, unable to fathom the purpose of this strange device, you decide to leave. Turn to
668
.
614
The land dips, taking you into a dark valley filled with eerie shrieks and wails. The jungle here is thick, the tree canopy obscuring the sky and plunging you into a sombre
gloom. After an hour of clambering over roots and rotten mounds of earth, you hear the rushing thunder of a river to your right. If you are an acolyte, monk or pilgrim, turn to
751
. Otherwise, turn to
500
.
615
Congratulations, for defeating Erkil while
hexed
you have won the following rare item:
Once you have updated your hero sheet, return to the quest
map
to continue your journey.
616
You sight the creature above the rooftops ahead. It is moving laboriously slowly, its hulking form a mass of writhing purple tentacles.
‘That’s . . . Mortzilla?’ you ask with a sudden pang of dread.
‘Yeah, the spirit trapped between here and next place,’ explains Boom. ‘That’s why only the staff can harm him.’
You round a corner, entering a wide plaza overgrown with weeds. Ahead of you is the spirit known as Mortzilla. The gargantuan beast lurches forward on a single pair of stalk-like legs, their
fragility at odds with the enormous body of tentacles they are required to support. Its head looks like a similar afterthought – just a small funnel-shaped protrusion, balancing on a thin
stem. Where it widens into a flat face, you see the fleshy surface pitted with dark holes. It isn’t until the beast nears that you see the human skulls peering out from the circles of
darkness – hundreds and hundreds of them.
‘That
thing
is your spirit walk?’ you gasp, backing away in horror. ‘Your elders must have really hated you . . .’
Boom Mamba turns and throws you the staff. You catch it as a reflex action, your brow creasing with confusion. ‘Use the boom stick,’ he says. ‘Spirits help you to defeat
it.’
Your eyes widen. ‘Me? What about you?’
Boom tugs one of his vials free, removing the stopper with his teeth. Then he points. ‘I gonna keep them busy.’
Suddenly the world is plunged into darkness. You look up to see a dense mist spreading out from the creature, obscuring the sun and the green-tinged sky. As the strange fingers of fog start to
rush closer, you suddenly realise what Boom was referring to. It isn’t a fog at all – it is thousands of black, ghostly bodies streaking through the air. And they are headed straight
for you.
Boom throws back his arm and flings the vial. It spins through the air and then explodes, sending concussive waves of magical energy billowing through the swarm. The spirits caught in the blast
are torn to ribbons – but as they fall, hundreds more sweep in to take their place.
You raise the staff and follow Boom into the dark maelstrom, dodging the ghostly claws and talons that reach out of the blackness. Your focus is the monster itself.
As another explosion rips through the spirit cloud, a piercing sound fills your ears – like a million voices screaming as one. You lift your eyes to the monster’s face and realise
that the sound is coming from the skulls – a dirge-like wail that saps at your courage.
‘Use the boom stick!’ shouts a voice over your shoulder. ‘Before it’s too late!’
You grip the staff in both hands and prepare to take on:
Special abilities
Shadow shroud: Mortzilla is immune to your special abilities. In this combat, you can only use the abilities
absorbed by your rune totem (see below). You can still use backpack items as normal (such as potions).
Screaming skulls: At the end of each combat round, you must lower your
speed, brawn
and
magic
by 1.
Once your attributes have reached zero, they cannot be reduced further.
In this combat, your totem abilities (you should have a total of three) do the following:
Wind guardian (sp): You may add 2 to your attack speed for the duration of the combat.
Infected wound (pa): If your damage score causes health damage to your opponent, they must lose a further 3
health
at the end of every combat round, for the duration of the combat.
Shadow shift (co): You can use this ability instead of rolling for a damage score to backstab your opponent. This
causes 6 dice of damage, ignoring
armour
. You can only use this ability once.
Earth fist (co): You can use this ability instead of rolling for a damage score to cause 2 dice of damage, ignoring
armour
, and reduce your opponent’s
armour
score to zero for the remainder of the combat. You can only use this ability once.
Boogie’s booster (mo): Use anytime in combat to instantly restore your attributes (
speed, brawn
and
magic
) back to their starting values. This ability can be used twice.
